Triggering of monoclonal human lymphoma B cells with antibodies to IgM heavy chains: differences of response obtained with monoclonal as compared to polyclonal antibodies.

A comparative study of human B lymphoma cells activation by monoclonal (murine hybridoma) antibodies to mu heavy chains (Ma-mu) as compared to polyclonal (rabbit) antibodies to mu heavy chains (Ra-mu) has been carried out. Early events related to calmodulin activation such as 86Rb influx and changes in cell volume at 4 h could be induced by Ma-mu. One antibody (AF6) approached Ra-mu with regard to the strength of response obtained. However, Ma-mus including AF6 were deficient in inducing DNA synthesis under conditions where this was achieved with Ra-mu. Studies in one lymphoma, where stimulation of re-expressed surface IgM could be studied, revealed that Ma-mu was deficient in stimulating re-expressed sIgM. These findings raise questions with regard to polyclonal antibody to surface Ig as a model for B cell triggering by antigen and suggest that antigen-induced B cell triggering may be more complex than indicated by previous studies with polyclonal antibody.